1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of non-sequentially driving a plurality of recording elements of a print head, which are divided into a plurality of phases, and an image forming apparatus employing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an image forming apparatus converts a document which a user makes using an application program, or an image which a user obtains using a digital camera or the like, into encoded data and outputs the data to media in a visible form.
Thermal transfer printing devices, which are used to obtain a high quality printed image, form an image by heating an ink ribbon in contact with a medium with a thermal print head and transferring an ink to the medium, or form an image by applying heat to a medium on which an ink layer is formed to reveal a predetermined color in response to the heat.
The thermal print head comprises a plurality of heaters, each having a predetermined resistance R. The plurality of heaters apply heat generated due to a predetermined applied voltage VHD to the medium, and print an image. Therefore, to obtain a high-quality printed image, the number of heaters of the thermal print head needs to be increased.
Power consumed in one heater due to the applied voltage VHD is calculated by Equation (1) below.
                    P        =                              VHD            2                    R                                    (        1        )            
Therefore, as the number of heaters increases to obtain a high quality printed image, more power is consumed in a thermal print head.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method for reducing power consumption of an increased number of heaters provided to achieve high quality printed images in a thermal print head.